Steve Starr
- Bovada has updated 2021 NBA Championship Odds with just over a month until the postseason
- The Brooklyn Nets (+250) are favored to win the title over the Los Angeles Lakers (+350)
- The NBA Playoffs begin on May 22 with the NBA Finals slated to start on July 8
A couple days after LeBron James posted “a thunderstorm is coming” on Instagram, the news came that both he and Anthony Davis will be back in the lineup within the next three weeks.
Should bettors act now to lock up the Lakers at a juicy +350 to win their second-straight championship or will Brooklyn’s superteam prove too much in the NBA Finals this July? Let’s look at the latest odds and make our title picks.
Before getting started, you can also find tips for betting on basketball here.
Odds to Win 2021 NBA Championship
 |
|
| Brooklyn Nets | +250 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | +350 |
| L.A. Clippers | +650 |
| Utah Jazz | +950 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +1000 |
| Denver Nuggets | +1200 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1400 |
| Phoenix Suns | +2200 |
| Miami Heat | +3000 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +5000 |
| Boston Celtics | +6000 |
| Portland Trailblazers | +6000 |
| Golden State Warriors | +12500 |
| Indiana Pacers | +12500 |
| Toronto Raptors | +15000 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +20000 |
| Chicago Bulls | +25000 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +25000 |
Nets Now The Favorites
Just as Kevin Durant returned from a 22-game injury absence, it was announced that James Harden will miss at least 10 days with a hamstring injury of his own. With the postseason set to begin on May 22, that will mean KD, the Beard, and Kyrie Irving will have under a month to build chemistry after only playing together in just seven games this season.
This could prove problematic if Brooklyn (+250) draws a battle-tested Miami Heat (+3000) team in the first round, otherwise, the Nets shouldn’t have to work too hard until possible second-and third-round matchups with Milwaukee (+1000) and Philadelphia (+1400).
KEVIN DURANT WITH AUTHORITY 🔨 pic.twitter.com/G19SoPS92o
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 11, 2021
With Joel Embiid back from injury and still in MVP form, the 76ers’ odds will likely only get shorter from here. Still, even with Doc Rivers’ club playing hard on the defensive end, they just don’t have the talent to stack up with Brooklyn’s big three.
After using the buyout market to shore up their frontcourt with Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Nets are -115 favorites at Bovada to claim the Eastern Conference – a wager we still heavily recommend.
Lakers odds are a “buy now”
The Lakers were +250 title favorites back in January before injuries shelved James and Davis, and before oddsmakers got a sense of just how dominant Brooklyn’s newly-formed trio would be. Now at +350 to win the championship, it’s worth pouncing on the Purple & Gold’s odds before LeBron and AD re-form what looked like an unbeatable duo last October.
At the very least, grab the Lakers at +190 on Bovada to win the Western Conference while you still can. On the shelf since early February, the 28-year-old Davis is expected back within 10-14 days while LeBron should return from his high-ankle sprain about a week after that.
Lakers defensive rating this season
Before LeBron & AD injury: 106.8
After LeBron & AD injury: 105.2They still have the league’s best defense even without their 2 best defensive players. pic.twitter.com/q04Xhl37RJ
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 11, 2021
If healthy, Los Angeles should have a relatively easy path to the NBA Finals with neither the Clippers (+650), Jazz (+950), Nuggets (+1200), or Suns (+2200) looking particularly imposing.
After a relatively boring and expected result in the Orlando bubble, a star-studded Lakers/Nets series this July would be everything hoops fans deserve and more. And now’s the time to bet on LeBron winning his fifth ring.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
